The ultimate bad event is a bit unbelievable ( )

(2006)Agent Pendergast pursues his brother who has created a disaster in the museum at the opening of an Egyptian tomb in its lower levels. Diogenes leads Pendergast and his ward Constance to Europe and finally Italy where Diogenes meets his end falling into a active volcano while fighting with Constance. (Kirkus)Brazenly convoluted, swift-going last title in the Pendergast trilogy (after Dance of Death, 2005) features FBI special agent Aloysius Pendergast in murderous rivalry with his brother Diogenes.The authors keep numerous pots boiling over at once: Agent Pendergast is locked away in solitary confinement at the escape-proof Herkmoor Federal Correctional Facility in upstate New York, apparently framed for serial murders, at the time that a mysterious package containing ground diamonds is dumped at the beleaguered New York Museum of Natural History. Caught trying to hide the fact that the diamond dust is what is left of the museum's priceless diamond collection stolen some time before, the museum powers-that-be decide to bring up an Egyptian tomb buried in its cellars as a public-relations stunt. Archaeologist Nora Kelly (whose husband, New York Times reporter William Smithback Jr., broke the diamond-grit story) is assigned to reassemble the Tomb of Senef and plan the sound-and-light show that will bedazzle big-name guests at the official opening. A suave Egyptologist from the British Museum, Adrian Wicherly, aids Kelly and discovers that the tomb's hieroglyphics contain a curse of insanity on whoever defiles it. In fact, a series of visitors to the tomb do fall prey to madness and murder, including Dr. Wicherly, as plans for the official opening proceed ominously. Meanwhile, martial-arts master Pendergast is sprung from torture and gang mayhem in a jail rescue by fellow FBI agent Vinnie D'Agosta, and others convinced of his innocence, and put on the trail of Diogenes, who still has not recovered from emotional damage suffered during childhood. Diogenes blames his older brother for his early trauma and manipulates to his purposes the family's na?ve young ward, Constance Greene, whose own Dickensian tale figured into the authors' previous novels. With Diogenes stalking Constance in Italy, and the New York mayor and his retinue locked in the tomb, this promises to be a really good show.

This book is part of, I'm sure if it can actually be called a series, but apparently, the authors have the character of FBI Agent Aloysius Pendergast feature in at least four of their books along with some other recurring characters.

This was the first book I've read by the authors and there really wasn't a problem with not having read another of the others.

The action centers around the NY Natural History Museum's reopening of the Tomb of Senef exhibit which has been languishing in the basement since the 30s or 40s. But is the tomb cursed? Or is something else going on?

Pendergast is a sort of Sherlock Holmes, while his brother, Diogenes, is a Moriarity type. He's a sadist who wants as many as possible to share his pain. The pain caused by The Event, which would be a big spoiler to go into further.

The book was interesting. The writers clearly do their research and I feel like I could follow in the footsteps of the characters from the descriptions in the book. This was also a rather intellectual book which some readers may not enjoy if they prefer their thrillers to be less cerebral.

I have so many books in my TBD pile, that I doubt would the authors, but for those who like twisty thrillers, I suggest starting with the first book where Pendergast appears and go on from there. ( )

Another possible 3.5er. I actually really enjoyed this book, possibly more than the last, but am too haunted by one problem to actually up the rating. When all is said and done, this book had all the excitement of the series, and tied up a lot of loose ends from the previous Diogenes books, while also leaving a few open ends, or at least one big one.
My big problem here is how the Hugo Menzies problem from Dance of Death was never solved. Supposedly, if I remember correctly, they were looking for old Hugo in connection with the diamond theft, but never found him and presumed him dead. Well, in this book, he just shows back up, all of that forgotten. No one says, "hey, what happened to you? You were the last person seen close to the diamonds before they disappeared, what's the deal?" Nope, none of that. Maybe I missed something? Could be possible. I really hope someone actually reads my reviews and can shed some insight into this issue. Am I wrong, am I right? Did it ruin this book somewhat for anyone else? Help me out here people!!


Edit to add: now that I think about it, a day later, how was it that Pendergast, one of the foremost detectives couldn't track Diogenes for years and years, but Constance, a girl who has never left the house, was able to track him almost instantly. I know she reads a lot, but knowing the ways of the world are much different when tracking a master criminal across time zones, and even continents. Some major plot holes in this book the more I think about it. ( )

Terrific story ( )